


Hunting Dogs

by ElevenGaleStorms



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Arno-centric, F/M, Gen, Their relationship is pretty much platonic, but I picture them having a romantic relationship later on in this AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-29 00:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11429106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElevenGaleStorms/pseuds/ElevenGaleStorms
Summary: In which Arno is sold into slavery and Shay saves her.





	Hunting Dogs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492/gifts).



> ... this may be considered to be unusual. I wrote this when I was really tired. I apologize for the really poor grammar in this. Any feedback or advice is more than welcome especially in this. Thanks for reading!

If you asked a five-year-old Arno where she would be in eight years, she would childishly answer that she would, of course, be by her father’s side. After all, everything wasn’t going to be fine, wasn’t it?

It was not.

A foolish adventure turned deadly forced her to make a choice: Arno’s life or her friend’s.

The slavers had surrounded them with menacing smiles. Arno knew how to fight. She could survive. Elise… would be even worse off with her appearance and status even though she knew how to fight.

Having made her choice, Arno had ignited a gunpowder barrel and told Elise to run. The blast of the resulting explosion made Arno fly and hit the wall with a sickening crack.

Her new life began with the scent of gunpowder and blood in her mouth.

* * *

Her life was an everlasting hell.

Fists rained down on her as she was beaten… again. She shakily got up when the punishment was finally over only to collapse once more.

The teenager bowed to the slaver she had been serving for she could know how long.

“Dog.” he spat with spittle flying from his lips. Arno had long since got over that disgusting trait of his.

“Yes, Master Johnson?” she demurely asked. The slaver was right. She was a dog, a mere domesticated animal compared to those around her. Arno was different from the other slaves around her.

She was smart and a fighter at the same time. At least, Arno was considered to be. Because even dumb animals knew how to fight their way out of a tight spot.

And that made all the difference. Fights with her in it were betted on tremendously. The still part of her, that foolishly considered her to be human, scorned the very man she served was revolted by this practice.

“Take this and bring it to Monsieur Liam.” Johnson carelessly tossed a package into her hands.

“Yes, Master Johnson.” she bowed and made haste to complete the task.

Little did Arno know, that day was the first time she would meet her soon-to-be savior.

* * *

Arno looked down submissively at the wolf in front of here. Liam O'Brien was a wolf, was he not? The man had the eyes of a killer with a hood proving a feeble attempt to hide that.

She would know. After all, dogs knew when predators were near.

Liam scowled at the contents of the package. He tossed a box at her and told her that she should 'run along, now'.

And she did just that. A warm and hard body suddenly became an obstacle in her path. Arno turned herself to avoid them only to trip on a misplaced rock and fall. The ground never met her open eyes as large hands held her gently off the ground.

"Are you okay, lass?" Gentleness was apparent in his actions yet this man was also a wolf. He had the eyes just like Liam.

"Yes. Thank you, sir." Arno bowed in thankfulness and hurried to continue on her way. She did not bother to stick around for what the man had to say. Her master would beat her again if she did not make haste.

* * *

She once again met the man with those oddly kind yet killer eyes.

Arno's master tired of her after having her serve him for eight years. In all honesty, Arno was scared. Dogs were scared when abandoned.

A call of her first name had her going up onto the stage. She had long since forgotten her last name. Dorian, a part of her whispered to her.

No. She was a Dorian no more.

The highest bid was soon called out and Arno closed her eyes in resignation. This was happening whether by her choice or not. Mutts like her didn't get to serve by choice.

And then a thunderous sound overtook the square and Arno... blacked out.

When she finally awoke, the kind wolf was by her side. He told that she was free.

Free.

A foreign word to Arno. Going home was long since impossible for her. The ticket back to France would most likely place her in indentured servitude. A master of her own choosing seemed... pleasant.

"Can I serve you?" His eyes widened and he put her offer down albeit politely.

"I don't need a slave." Arno felt no hurt at the statement. But she couldn't give up though. This man saved her and she had nowhere else to go.

* * *

And indeed she did not give up. Arno kept on going to that same homestead deep inside the wolves. Eventually, Liam got fed up with her and... quite literally threw her to the wolves.

A test was what he said. A pistol and a knife along with fire-igniting tools were the scraps she was given.

Arno passed the test with a bloody scar on her face and fire in her eyes.

She became O'Brien's hunting dog.

* * *

The kind-wolf turned out to be Shay and a hunting dog. A prized and noble one but a dog nonetheless.

A hunting dog.

Arno wanted to like him and so she trained. A one-sided fight with Liam that led to something that could almost be described as a beating and admittedly miserable lessons about certain skills from Achilles strengthened her.

Arno eventually challenged Shay with a rapier drawn and pistol at hand. He accepted and so they fought.

Later, she asked to become his student. Shay seemed to consider it for a couple of nerve-wracking moments before granting the request with the barest hint of a smile.

When Arno eventually asked why he accepted her as his student, Shay would say that the look in her eyes compelled him. He didn't elaborate any further.

* * *

Her mentor wanted her to go to school. Arno disagreed. She was literate and that was good enough for her.

Still, she obeyed his wishes with some amount of protest that he was actually pleased with. Stop treating yourself like a dog, he scolded her when she once again referred to herself as the said animal.

Personally, it was a mistake in the eyes of Arno.

The school was a jungle that she, as an explorer, couldn’t navigate with its intricate social hierarchies and own set of social norms. Arno practically had a bullseye painted on her back with her abnormal childhood. Still, she endured and made it to the end of the year.

After all, that proud look on Shay's face every time she came back from school made it all the more worth it.

* * *

Arno was an adult and all the wiser.

The French woman was about to become the apprentice of Liam O'Brien. She originally wanted to become Shay's apprentice. Alas, one cannot always get what they wanted as she learned from life.

"I'm going to miss you, lass. Who is going to cook for me?" he playfully said. She gave a brief smile at him. Arno truly was going to miss Shay, humor and all.

"I know. How will you ever survive without me?" she dryly said.

"Very funny, Arno." Shay's eyes turned serious.

"If Liam ever does anything to you, let me know." his grip on her shoulder tightened minutely.

"I w-"

"I am serious."

"Yes, Master Cormac." Arno tried to turn the subject around. Seeing her mentor in such a dark mood was unlike him and made her nervous.

* * *

As it turns out Liam did do something and Shay... he went berserk.

Liam was out of commission for 2 months before he could return to the field.

With hands shaking in rage and eyes wild, Shay made his way towards her. He grabbed the collar of her coat and pulled her towards him.

"You were going to let him send you on a suicide mission," he whispered into her ear. Dangerous he was like this.

"Yes," Arno admitted. She closed her eyes for what was to come-

Warm arms enveloped her.

"Don't ever do that again. Don't let someone dictate who you should be," he said. _Less quiet this time_ , she noted.

"I won't let them." Whether that was a lie or not didn't matter at the moment.

* * *

Arno was now a hunting dog.

And she was on the hunt.

Shay had betrayed the Organization and she was ordered to kill him. She smiled and knew that she would succeed in this hunt. After all, Arno was taught by the best.

Through the scope of her rifle, she saw the familiar robes her mentor wore as he weaved through the crowd. Liam tailed him unconsciously several feet away.

Arno loaded her sniper rifle. Her target, her prey, was within her reach and she was the hunter.

_BANG_

The shot was loud and panic swept through the crowd. People rushed towards safety and only one man now remained in the area.

Shay.

He nodded at her. She grimly smiled. Mission successful, she thought.

Achilles walked into the area. Shay unsheathed his sword and dagger and Arno reloaded her rifle.

The hunt was still on.

**Author's Note:**

> To Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492:
> 
> I got inspired by your one-shot, Killer Queen, (which is really great, btw) and it somehow led to me writing this. Feel free to refuse this if you want. I completely understand.


End file.
